Maggie McGillicuddy's Eye for Trouble

Ages 5+

Unlike her neighbors, Maggie McGillicuddy has an eye for trouble. And she spots it — everywhere! Look, over there, a tiger lurking! And there, a snake slithering! (You don’t see them? Well, no imagination, I guess.) And it’s all good fun until her young neighbor Charlie comes face to face with some very real trouble, and Maggie must jump into action!

Readers will have no trouble spotting the clever make-believe in this charmingly illustrated story about an unlikely friendship rooted in playful imagination.

What the Readers Say

"Susan Hughes has written a charming story that unites generations and celebrates the unfettered possibilities of imagination. It pays tribute to what appears to be “wasting time”, those valuable moments spent gazing at nothing, out of which come observations, ideas, stories, ambitions and experiments – not all of them immediately tangible, but which are motivating or useful at some point in life. Hughes proves that, even in the age of technology, old ways of doing something (watching the world go by) are just as important to a child’s development as they always have been." -CM Magazine, September 30, 2016 ****/4

"The subject of the book is not “race” but this book quietly illustrates an inter-racial, inter-generational friendship built upon the two characters’ mutual imagination that allows them to see dangers that nobody else seems to see." - The Pirate Tree: Social Justice and Children's Literature, August 29, 2016

"This fun look at imagination appeals to a kid’s sense of play, but also teaches them to be aware of their surroundings. Maggie McGillicuddy sits on her porch, knitting away, and sees things a little differently. When she sees a shadow on the wall, she just knows it’s a hungry tiger! She clacks her knitting needles and scares that wildcat away. ... But when Charlie, her next door neighbor, is about to run into the street while chasing a ball, Maggie springs into action – this is no figment of her imagination!... Very good for pre-K and elementary collections. The fun of imagination is contagious." - Mom Read It, August 2, 2016